Calming the chaos with music

The reception centre for evacuees in Prince George is everything you’d imagine it to be: busy, a little hectic and just as tense as you would expect.

But where the parking lot meets the College of New Caledonia campus, father-and-son-duo Dale and Aaron Trenholm are bringing a bit of joy and colourful energy to tired evacuees in the best way they know how: through song.

The pair – two members in a four-part local band – along with other family members have been visiting the centre almost daily since it opened, playing cover songs on their banjo and guitar.

The pair, who describe themselves as best friends, have always relied on playing music to gain a sense of closure in times of struggle and hardship.

“First thing we do is we go to our musical instruments and sing a couple of songs, and no matter how bad your day was it’s just better,” Dale said. said.

And now, they’re hoping to provide a bit of that for the 8,000 evacuees who’ve been displaced in their community.

While the two sing, dance and strum their guitars, the rest of the Trenholm family offer free fruit and water to anyone who passes by.

The food and beverages are provided by Guru Nanaks Free Food Langer – an organization run by Waheguru ji, that feeds roughly 300 community members in need.

“What’s a few more people [to feed],” Dale said.

“We’re gonna get some great friends out of this – and that’s kinda selfish, but I want to add to my friend list, and so does Aaron.”